Despite Elon Musk’s dislike for lidar, Tesla was revealed to be Luminar’s largest customer in the first quarter of this year, accounting for over 10 percent of the company’s revenue. This comes as a surprise, considering Musk’s previous statements condemning lidar as a “crutch” that would doom any company relying on it for autonomous capabilities. Tesla, known for streamlining its sensor usage for driver-assist features like Autopilot and Full Self-Driving, has invested in Luminar’s lidar technology, contradicting Musk’s anti-lidar stance.
Tesla’s shift towards using lidar, despite Musk’s aversion to the technology, raises questions about the company’s future plans for autonomous vehicles. With Musk set to unveil a robotaxi prototype later this year, the use of Luminar’s lidar for validation of the Full Self-Driving feature is speculated. However, the exact purpose of Tesla’s $2.1 million worth of lidar purchases remains unclear, as both Luminar and Tesla have remained tight-lipped about the specifics of their deal. Whether Tesla plans to retrofit its autonomous testing fleet with Luminar’s lidar sensors remains to be seen, but it is clear that the company is changing its approach to lidar technology.
With each lidar sensor costing around $1,000, the sheer volume of sensors purchased by Tesla suggests a significant investment in the technology for its fleet of vehicles. Tesla’s autonomous testing fleet, currently operational in cities like San Francisco and Las Vegas, may see the integration of Luminar’s lidar technology, marking a notable shift in the company’s approach to self-driving capabilities. While Musk continues to publicly denounce lidar, Tesla’s actions suggest a different attitude towards the technology, hinting at a potential acceptance of its benefits in achieving autonomous driving.
The decision to embrace lidar technology marks a significant departure from Musk’s previous stance on the necessity of such sensors for autonomous capabilities. Despite his vocal opposition to lidar as a crutch for self-driving technology, Tesla’s investment in Luminar’s lidar suggests a pragmatic approach to bolstering the company’s autonomous driving features. Whether Tesla’s use of lidar will prove successful remains to be seen, but the company’s willingness to explore alternative technologies indicates a willingness to adapt its strategies in pursuit of fully autonomous vehicles.
As Tesla continues to expand its autonomous driving capabilities and prepares for the launch of a robotaxi prototype, the integration of Luminar’s lidar into its vehicles suggests a departure from Musk’s anti-lidar rhetoric. The company’s investment in lidar technology reflects a shift towards embracing diverse sensor technologies to achieve its goals of autonomous driving. Despite the ongoing debate surrounding the efficacy of lidar, Tesla’s adoption of the technology highlights the company’s willingness to explore new avenues for advancing its self-driving capabilities. Whether this shift will lead to a more comprehensive acceptance of lidar by Musk and Tesla remains uncertain, but the company’s actions suggest a willingness to explore all viable options for achieving fully autonomous vehicles in the future.